The present inventive subject matter relates generally to the art of fastening tabs. Particular but not exclusive relevance is found in connection with disposable absorbent articles such as diapers, and accordingly the present specification makes specific reference thereto. It is to be appreciated however that aspects of the present inventive subject matter are also equally amenable to other like applications.
Disposable absorbent articles, such as baby diapers and/or incontinence diapers for adults, are generally known in the art. A typical diaper chassis is constructed of a liquid absorbent core enclosed between a liquid permeable topsheet (which is located adjacent a wearer when the diaper is worn) and a liquid impermeable backsheet (which forms an outer surface of the diaper when worn). The diaper chassis generally includes a rear portion intended to cover a wear's behind, a front portion intended to cover a wear's front and a crotch portion therebetween.
Commonly, diapers are provided with one or more fastening tabs. For example, two fastening tabs may be joined to the rear portion of the diaper chassis along opposing side ends or edges thereof. The fastening tabs may be joined directly to the chassis, or alternately, via intervening side panels. The fastening tabs allow each side of the rear portion of the diaper to be releasably attached to the front portion of the diaper thereby selectively forming a waistband around the wearer.
It is common for the front portion of the diaper to be provided with a landing strip arranged thereon to selectively receive the fastening tabs. For example, this landing strip may include a female portion of a mechanical fastening system. In particular, the landing strip often includes loop material designed to be engaged by corresponding hooks carried on the fastening tabs.
Recently, to reduce the cost and/or complexity of manufacturing diapers, it has become desirable to omit or eliminate the aforementioned landing strip. The use of a so called landing strip, also limits the area where the fastening tabs can be attached. Accordingly, it is further desirable to eliminate or omit the landing strip, so that the fastening tabs can be selectively attached to a larger area (e.g., essentially anywhere on the front portion of the diaper chassis to which they can reach). In any event, when the landing strip is eliminated or omitted, the fastening tabs are releasably attached directly to the backsheet forming the outer surface of the front portion of the diaper. As the backsheet is often constructed from a nonwoven material, it provides for some degree of engagement by the hooks typically carried on the fastening tabs. However, there can be difficulties in developing a fastening system that functions suitably (e.g., achieves a desirable degree of peel adhesion and/or shear strength) when the fastening tabs are attached directly to the diaper chassis backsheet. This problem is particularly evident in baby diapers which generally have smaller fastening tabs (due to their relatively smaller size) as compared to adult incontinence diapers which can generally accommodate larger fastening tabs. Indeed, as compared to baby diapers, adult incontinence diapers general have larger fastening tabs that can accommodate larger areas of mechanical fasteners (i.e., hooks). Moreover, adult diapers often have four tabs, e.g., two on each side, as compared to baby diapers which can often accommodate no more than a single tab on each side.
Accordingly, a new and/or improved fastening tab is disclosed which addresses the above-referenced problem(s) and/or others.